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eddiedoll · 2 years

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Can I request a fic for eddie?

I have constant chronic pain. It is literally everywhere that has joints or muscle but it is the worst in the lower back, neck, shoulders and hands.

Sometimes it gets so bad I can't move without wanting to scream. And Sometimes my joints lock or my muscles seize and I literally can't move at at.

Rubbing or heating it helps, but I have never been able to get full relief. Partially to my inability to get close to people

I was wondering if you could write for a reader with something like this? (Or just normal chronic pain)

Maybe he didnt know about it (I tend to not share as it makes people pity me) till the reader has a bad day or locks up in front of them (sometimes my knees just buckle and I drop) (and then can't move for like thirty minutes).

Or just anything really, I'm having a bad day and would love the comfort

Loved your vamp Eddie BTW. Would love to see a part two if you want to write it :)

(So sorry this took me a few days to get around to writing! I hope you’re not in much pain atm :( I’m not well versed on chronic pain but I did a lil research so I hope its at least a lil factual! Thank you for the love on vamp!eddie <3333 a part 2 is on the way ~)

It doesn’t matter how much time passes, every now and then a new pain crops up in a muscle or joint you didn’t even know you had. Leaving you tender and slightly cranky at times.

No one apart from your parents knew about your condition, not wanting to see the looks of pity on people’s faces when they discover the constant acute pain you’re in. You hadn’t even told your boyfriend, Eddie. He was the epitome of a bleeding heart, and you knew as soon as you told him, he would flit around you constantly. He’d already stopped you from coming to his gigs for a while after a stray fist pump caught you in the temple. God knows how he would react to knowing how accustomed to that pain you already were.

You swear you’re good at hiding the ache deep set in your muscles but today was truly the worst flare-up you’d had in years. Every small movement left your joints screaming in agony and all you wanted to do was lay in bed, motionless, and wait for it to pass. For the roaring flames licking at your every limb to dull down to the usual small sparks. But you had promised Eddie that the two of you would go out for a picnic, since the weather was just cool enough to avoid the normal sticky-hot heat of Indiana summer.

Even lifting the empty picnic basket left you nearly in tears, gulping down the lump forming in your throat as you step out the door. The trailer park was usually a brisk 10 minute walk but, with every agonising step, it took you over half an hour before you were slightly limping down the stone path to his trailer.

He was sitting on his porch, wild hair contained in a low bun, a lit cigarette hanging from his lips. He was effervescent, even in his usual attire of a Judas Priest t-shirt and ragged black, ripped jeans. The second he spotted you, those doe eyes sparkled and he began to bound down the road to meet you. Forcing yourself to walk as normal as possible, you brace for the impact of his hug.

Long arms wrap tightly around your shoulders, further igniting the intense flames blazing inside you. The searing pain is only dampened by his hand rubbing softly along the backs of your shoulders, appeasing the burning phoenix nestled there.

“Hi, sweetheart. You ready to go? I got all the stuff ready on the table inside.”

Not trusting yourself to speak, you nod and allow him to guide you into his trailer. Each step feels like sharp needles being jabbed into the soles of your feet and you regret ever agreeing to this date.

“You ok, sweets? You’re looking a lil pale?”

You love Eddie, but at this moment, you hate just how perceptive he is. You look back from the table and try to give him a smile, but it comes out more like a grimace. “I’m ok, my love, just feeling a little under the weather today. Don’t worry about me, we have a picnic to get to!”

Hoping the mention of the picnic will distract him, you return to packing the picnic basket. Fingers cramping around the small cucumber sandwiches he’d obviously spent a while making, you sense his presence as he leans his head on top of yours.

“You sure? We can just chill here if you’re not feeling too good. I still have that copy of Ghostbusters that I convinced Steve to sneak out from Family Video.”

You love him, he is kind and sweet and just wants to make sure you’re ok.

You repeat these thoughts over and over in your mind, trying to extinguish the anger simmering low in your stomach. He did nothing to deserve your temper, but you were just in so much pain.

“C’mon darling, talk to me. Do you have a headache? Bad tummy? Do you have to poop?”

He lowers his voice at the end, jokingly as he pokes you in the side. The sting that emanates from the pressure is the final straw.

“Jesus, Eddie! Do you not want to go to the picnic or something? Can’t you just say that instead of trying to annoy me into not wanting to go? I said I’m fine, why can you not just drop it!”

Obviously not expecting your reaction, he recoils slightly, hands frozen as they hover over your sides. You feel awful for yelling at him but the way you tensed your whole body makes you feel like every nerve is igniting all at once. You go to turn to face him, leg twisting awkwardly, and before you can warn him, you drop to the floor, knees buckling under the intense pain.

You hit the ground, both knees slamming down painfully. Wincing, you know you won’t be able to move anytime soon so you resign yourself to slowly manoeuvring into a more comfortable position. Eddie finally snaps back into action, crouching down to match your line of sight.

“Sweetheart?! You ok? What happened? Do you need to go to the hospital? I can take you in the van, it’s not too far -”

Before he can work himself up into more of a panic, you reach out and grab his hand, silencing him. “No no, it’s fine. Honestly. This happens sometimes. I’m sorry for yelling, I’m just in a little bit of pain that’s all.”

“Little bit of pain? You’re shaking.”

You hadn’t even realised the hand wrapped around his is trembling slightly, too focused on the pain overtaking your body.

“I’m used to it, Eds. Just give me a few minutes.”

He huffs at this, moving to sit down across from you. His eyebrows are drawn tensely and you can already tell you’re about to receive one of his famous lectures.

“You’re not ok. You’re sweating and shaking and obviously in pain. You don’t need to hide it from me. I’m your boyfriend, I’m supposed to look after you if you’re not feeling well, the same way you look after me. Now what do you mean you’re used to it? Tell me what’s happening, I just wanna help you, darling.”

Despite the pain in your fingers, you entangle them around his, using them to ground yourself. Squeezing them periodically to stop them from fully seizing, you look into his worried eyes.

“Don’t go all mother hen on me, ok? I suffer from chronic pain. And I mean suffer. This shit sucks. Normally I can handle it, but I’m in the middle of a flare up so it feels like every single part of my body is on fire. All at the same time. I’ve had it for a while and it’s never been this bad.”

“Baby…”

There it is. The pity in his eyes. You hate it.

“Don’t you dare pity me, Eddie Munson. I can deal with it. It’s just sometimes my legs lock up or my knees buckle and it takes me a while to be able to get up and walk. I’ll be fine in like 30 minutes or so, and then we’re going on that damn picnic.”

The pity dissipates from his eyes, left with only mirth. He leans forward, pressing a small kiss to the furrow of your brow. “Ok, sweets. Damn, I don’t know how you do it. I get a cold and I’m out for a whole week. You’re, like, metal as fuck, you know that, right?”

You smile back, feeling your muscles slacken at his compliments, the flames rearing back a bit but still licking harshly at your muscles. Squeezing his hand once more, you smirk at him. “So that means I’m more metal than you?”

“Oh, definitely. Can’t believe I landed the most metal babe around. Damn, I’m lucky.”

“And don’t you forget it, Munson.”

You both sit for a moment, enjoying the comfortable silence surrounding you. Eddie moves, and you can almost see the lightbulb form over his head as he shoots up from the ground.

“Is there anything I can get you that will help? Wayne’s got a hot water bottle here somewhere for when his back plays up. Or we have frozen peas? We might have a tube of Deep Heat around here somewhere.”

You lie back slowly, wincing with every movement. “A hot water bottle would be great, thanks.”

He moves to find it somewhere in the mess of Wayne’s room. At least you knew where Eddie got it from. Eyes closing, you allow yourself to relax into the carpet, willing the ache in your muscles to slowly ebb away. You listen as he sets the kettle on the stove, the sound of the gas sparking to light.

A few minutes pass, and you hear the shuffle of his sock-bound feet moving towards you. Eyes opening, you smile weakly up at him as he hands you the full hot water bottle. You rest it on your chest, not wanting to risk popping the seal if you placed it under you, hoping the warmth will soak through to the back of your aching shoulders.

“Anything else I can do for you, my liege?” He dips his head in a clumsy bow, pulling a small giggle from you.

“No, I should be fine. Just gotta let it do its thing.”

He hums in response, coming to sit back down beside you. His hand rests on your knee, rubbing soothing circles into it. You can’t help the sigh of relief at the feeling of his fingers pressing through the tender joint. His hand freezes at the sound.

“I’m sorry, did that hurt? I did it without thinking, I’m sorry.” He goes to withdraw his hand but stops as a whine escapes you at the loss of warmth.

“No, it feels good. Sometimes massaging it helps with the achiness.”

He continues to rub your knee, pressing in a little deeper as he gauges your reaction. Attentive as always, he switches between deep presses and light squeezes, depending on whether you relax or tense at his actions.

“Then consider me your personal masseuse.”

—

The cucumber sandwiches still get eaten, your body resting against Eddie’s as the two of you slowly work your way through the feast. He insists on feeding you, not wanting your fingers to hurt anymore than they already do.

You never got to the picnic site, but you couldn’t think of a better way to get through your flare up than lying here on the scratchy trailer carpet floor with a boyfriend who alternates between massaging your knees and shoulders, and a cosy hot water bottle.

#eddie munson imagine #eddie munson scenario #eddie munson x reader #eddiedoll!ask #eddie x reader #eddie munson fanfic

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crownonacat · 2 months

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List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! Get to know your mutuals and followers (ू•‧̫•ू⑅)♡

Ahhh hi hello ❤️!!!! Hm let's see:

1. Books/Stories/Reading

Always!! I'm normally reading something or the other, whether it's fanfic, a webnovel, a novella, manhwa, manga, or something. I enjoy DnD a lot for that same reason, and my favorite type of game is an RPG of some sort shjdndjwmdks. I'm honestly more of a reader than a writer, but the only reason why I even began to start writing anything was because I like reading and wanted more to read but about my own characters ^^;

2. Art

Both drawing and actually viewing! I like going out to museums and galleries just to look around when I have time (which is not often ;-; unfortunately). Landscape paintings of water or bodies of water will continue to drive me insane they're always lovely. I like art a Normal Amount and I won't lie when another con comes I may be down more money buying prints again sjsjdhdjs. I also like to do art for myself and friends when the art block lets me and atm its currently cooperating, so fingers crossed it stays that way.

3. Tea

I'm kinda indifferent about coffee?? It's never really done anything for me caffeine wise and the taste is alright (I don't know if I'm doing it right tbh dhsjsnj). But I adore tea specifically jasmine green and black tea. I do take mine with what I like to say is a decent amount of sugar but I have a friend with a bigger sweet tooth so I don't think the amount I put is bad? I hope? Milk tea is really good too :D

4. Night time/ Evening

Mainly cause I like looking at the sky around this time and it's peaceful. Especially summer evenings when it's been really hot all day and the only time it starts to get like a reasonable level of heat is right before the sun sets; its nice to sit outside and just relax during this time. Also cause the sky turns color going pink and purple before the stars come out and those are another treat to see.

5. Cats

Every day I mourn the fact that I don't own one of my own but I adore them and their little faces and horrible/fantastic attitudes. Watching videos of them doing dumb things brings me joy like nothing else, and the few times I've met one that deigned to let me pat it made me feel like king of the earth. One of these days, I'm finally gonna give in and adopt one. One day T^T

#ask meme #get to know me #ngl i finished the second one and blanked for a good while lol #this was fun!!!

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spanishskulduggery · 2 years

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do you have any opinions on the best latam country to live? i want to force myself to learn to understand audible spanish by removing my option not to. important considerations are that i have really bad arachnophobia and am bad with heat

Probably the best option for you is Peru since some of the cities are mountainous so you have cooler weather, but Peru has some of its own issues atm and high altitude isn't for everyone

Important to note that many countries in Latin America are in the southern equator so your summer-winter cycle is reversed compared to here in the US

If you're bad with heat I would say generally you don't want to be in the countries with rain forests or that are too close to the equator

The difficult thing about this question is that for some countries it really depends on the city itself

Mexico for example is very large so you're going to have different climates. The weather in Mexico City is going to be very different from the weather in Monterrey, so examine it more on a city by city basis

My safest answer for you is probably somewhere in Argentina (though if you do go to Argentina you'll want to be aware of Argentina's use of vos).

The further south you go, like Tierra del Fuego, the cooler it is because you're closer to the south pole. But again, large country. Buenos Aires is going to have a different climate compared to a place like Ushuaia

Also, if you're talking about the climate specifically, you're going to want to look into general climate as far as rain/hurricanes and altitude etc as well as other issues like air quality. Also you're going to want to be aware of things like possible droughts, and also maybe be aware of earthquakes along the Pacific Rim which are things you can’t control but just be aware and brush up on your protocol/safety measures

#asks

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zarazmnie-cos · 2 years

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Hey, I saw the tags & that made my heart warm.

My name is Ruby so I guess you can call me that?

But if you want a specific tag, I love roses so I guess the 🥀 emoji would be great ❤️❤️.

I'm a Seongjoong stan but I never see as much fics on Hongjoong as I do Seonghwa so I always try & write stuff on him whenever I can.

I'm running with the idea now of Hongjoong loving his partner's smell.

I can't think of any NSFW situations atm though.

Do you have any ideas?

Im not sure if you'd like the Aussie heat, it gets up to 50 degrees Celsius here 😂😂

OMG RUBY IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL NAME????? and you must be as beautiful as your name <3 i'll give you other rose emoji bcuz this one looks like the flower is withering (or its my weird keyboard lol)

as you can see from my masterlist and idols i write for, im a seongjoong stan as well! there's so little smut for these two (or i'm blind and bad at searching lol) but there's even less for hongjoong!!

cant really think how to turn it into nsfw but i just really love the idea that hongjoong would feel safe around you and the moment he senses the familiar smell he just feels at ease <3

that'd be great every time he's stressed and tense! so if he's working hard or have any doubtful moments, just your smell is enough to calm him down! ya know the whole aromatherapy shenanigans??? i guess you would work similarily lol and maybe if he was away for a long time, you scent again hitting his nose would make him feral for sure i jUST KNOW he would make it up for you in the bedroom </3

no bUT LIKE HEAR ME OUT OKAY??? i always think of hongjoong like the lovemaking person and a passionate lover, but whenever he's tense and he feels your perfume again it just kind of unblocks new talent of him??? (kind of like ascension in genshin who knows then knows)

mY POINT IS your smell would turn him on immediately if he's stressed or he's been away for a while.

im sorry its chaotic and kind of rushed but my brain is frying and certain someone called me stupid because i did not realized a cake looked like definitely not cake (yes i am looking at you @ativv 😠)

and about the australia temperatures: AW HELL NAH I CANT LIVE IN 40 CELSIUS SO IMMEDIATELY WHEN SUMMER WOULD BE OVER I WOULD FLY BACK TO POLAND i need winter all year

#ruby 🌹#ateez hard hours #i have no idea if i repeated myself like ten times #and if theres mistakes #im kind of in a rush #and im multitasking rn #too much on my head but its quite good #but i hope its bearable to read tho

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iamshay · 2 years

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Good morning

Today- 26/11/22

I woke up from a nap. and woke in a cold apartment. I turn off my heater cuz it was too hot. I wish I just

It freaking feels like we're already in the middle of winter it has not snowed that much either. My apartment quickly gets cold real quick

Oslo looks beautiful as always. Cold tho. But beautiful. I always struggle with early snow. I don't know if it's my apartment or just me. This house is made of wood real wood actually. It's mixed with bricks and shit but mostly wood. Norwegian houses some house is built from bricks mainly this one is mainly wood. Real actual woods. you can hear that wood sound as well when you walk on the stairs. It's very good quality. almost a cabinet house. My house is big hard get hot my fireplace is not that big but apparently according to my landlord that fireplace is real rock it should make the apartment heated up real quick. But since it's small I have to burn some wood for hours in order it heats up the whole living room and my setup room door open.

Atm, I am like this...

-oslo

This is storfjord, western Norway 2013 this summer house very beautiful summer house. that is wood mix with brick stone.

Yesterday -25/11/22

Yesterday was not a good day put in a bad mood, a fact I report some serious matter and I got ignored this is how I feel about it

and the fact this person has nothing better to do than join the same city as I have been on for a while. Fact city hopping from his main. Just because he has this obsession with creepy stalkerish behavior I doubt they look deep into the 3 parts that I have talked about. the fact that screenshot shows when he follows this streamer I support he join not for his own reason. I am recording shit from now on the fact he brings OOC shit and cuz I know he is harassing me and bothering me.

I will follow what the staff told me clip things. If he bothers me in any way they will take it from there. Because I have met and connected with a lot of people there. I just hope they will do something about it. I am activating my graphic card record from the start I can just share screen it on support i am recording all my RP-like vods so they see a bigger picture of the event. Plus they got heads-up on his behavior if ooc shit gets brought to the city

While waiting I went to empire nyc i got my prior again. I was there months ago I left because the city was in pretty bad shape before Duy took over. seem he has fixed a lot of issues. I meet a staff member and we clicked so we hang out and chill. show me around the city for a bit. I am a person that makes friends easily because of my personality. I got D10 AL city and skeleton rp waiting for V2 to come out And Empire NYC rp in. Listen rping is not the main content I don't do it for the wrong reasons I do have a good time and make connections with people and rp with them. I am a variety of content creators. So be in these cities and the same people I recently made a connection with play warzone. 2.0 as well that end up playing I was already not in good mood. When we hop on Warzone and I run into a toxic guy sadly allow him to get the best of me. So flip out on his fat ass. The fact he was on our team was the crazy part I don't tolerate sexist assholes.

My content is based on. mainly gaming, cooking maybe ones i find gear for Vblog Stream IRl me going around learning snowboard and take my community to the mountain hiking in norway. That stuff need to be plan ahead you cant just walk to mountain and call it day. This mountain in norway is tallest and you need take boat first. I need get GoPro camera too. and same with cooking i need 3 bundle pack camera that give professional look for me cooking. Me going hit the gym. There so much ideas i got for my stream. Its not just about rping. A lot people rp for the wrong reason.

meet girls to erp with them because they dont get that much action in real life. cringe i know.

2. in that guy's case just stalk and harras female

3. or just because some streamers are in the city they won't be around them and dick ride that person just to get views over their stream

Sorry for not streaming lately. I been dealing with a lot IRL

Fact i disconnect myself from most of my family members and now all sudden they reach out and want to hang out. And i had told my sister I got plans put it rejection nice way. All sudden now they want me to be part of my niece's concert but i was confused about what kinda concert i was not even part of their journey leading to this concert of what to dance or sing.

I only have contact with my brother. In put short context me and my brother grow up together main reason I got into video games. He i get along with I never get along with females because they are always drama queens who need to compete with me or are jealous of me getting attention from boys. I am a person that I get eyes on wherever I go. I don't seek attention I get it even if wear a freaking comfy outfit not all dolled up. It's my personality and they get attracted to I can't change who I am that is my personality. I am a bubbly person. I am a pretty nice person. I don't ignore anyone if they talk to me. But don't get twisted if get wronged I am pretty savage got that Persian spicy I will respond back with spicy words.

I got boundaries if someone crosses them that's when my horns come out. But if you are respectful and flirtish and innocent I am pretty chill. so simp all you want boo. I am single I am not obligated to any guy, but if a person steals my heart that's when I draw the line. I am his only!! and others should stay away from me. i am pretty loyal to my man. But atm i am talking to someone it's just flirtish back and forward. He is not a streamer or gaming. It's an Irl thing. It's not that serious he knows it we just getting to know each other. We both got a mutual understanding that we both talking and are allowed talk to others. We enjoy both each company so yeah.

I don't belong to anyone! I am a free woman. He is eye candy and I am eye candy. i got boundaries for how much I want to share online. I am a super private person. I only tell you how much I want.

I am not sure when i will be back on stream but i will rp offline atm. I have not yet healed.

The fact my lips so dry cuz of the season change in winter. I am pretty on that if look like shit i dont want show on stream that i got dry lips and its red area because it has gotten irritated its not bad. but in my eyes its. For some twitch stream they dont mind watch someone like xqc bite his toe nail with his teeth. i am female with class i don't weird shit or want look weird on stream . Some pick their nose and actually eat it while streaming.

I am not a nasty one. I could do off camera stream while rping. but until my poor lips are fully healed and dryness is gone i am good. I have seen another female have dry and redness streams anyways. Look matters.

I know this is super silly because I told my buddy. he said it's so silly it's so normal for people to get mouth ulcers cuz of a cold that just normal cuz of the season change. But I don't like it. I might just not have a webcam on and stream.

But anyways dear readers. There is so much in store for this blog. a lot of pictures will be posted. I just need to get a new battery for my camera. I need to head to IKEA manage to take a trip and plan it perfectly. Need to buy a bed and some drawer organizers and a drawer cabinet for my setup have it under my setup table I got one already. I need a bigger one. and for my makeup vanity. need two for that too.

I hope you all had amazing thanksgiving and spend it with your close ones.

I don't celebrate thanksgiving because I am every day thankful and grateful for what I have. I don't need a special day for that to be that.

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kissagii · 2 years

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no pls i understand that feeling— writing one tomorrow i dont think im sleeping bc i gotta prepare 😭😭

bombed the other one so bad i must make it up here

OHHH A HEAT WAVE

sending you thousands of ice lollies and and ice cream— global warming does rlly suck actually :(

i’m good i’m good !! gonna be performing my english oral presentation today and im so proud of what ive come up with, hoping its all gonna be good

ALSO

here its spring atm and it’s just so LOVELY ?? it’s barely been spring but oml the SUN IS OUT EARLIER AND ITS JUST SO SO GOOD

i’m sending you ALLLLLL THE LUCK for your weekly maths tests oml, gonna be cheerin you on from here ! <3

school's great and all until you have tests ;-; teachers are so aggressive with them too?? like? i'm scared and it's for a very good reason because the tests are never like the classwork

ooh lucky southern hemisphere folks getting the nice weather. summer just does not want to end here :P

thank you for the luck too <3 <3 sending you good vibes for you english oral!! those are always scary for some reasons

#{🐸 - gremlin friends}#i really need to get to sleep #but i also want to stay up late talking to international friends #but also... school ;-;#signing off for the night #bye <3 #see y'all in the morning

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rielzero · 2 years

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Personal Artfight Summary 2022 Team Wither

Note: I do not care for the competitive aspect, this is just for myself. Doing a specific amount of attacks is always my goal. The winners haven’t been announced yet, so to clarify; I don’t really care about the whole teams stuff specifically.

Average battle ratio: 58% (It went down when I was burnt out, so I mostly got revenges at that time.) Attacks; 60 against other team, 35 against own team, this means in total I did 95 attacks. Defense: I received 84 attacks back.

On average the people you attack always have a 50% of attacking back tbh, most extra defenses are people who end up attacking me rather than me finding people to attack. Most of people I fight with are people I’ve fought before during artfight, and usually I chain en masse with my friends. I mostly do art fight for my friends- And while I love getting to know new people artfight does have a lot of downsides that its growing every year.

Summary on why I don’t defense back: People so often don’t read my permissions and it makes my characters look like they’re not even my characters any more. This has given me so much anxiety over the years I’ve played artfight. It happens. Every. Year. I generally stop attacking back and even block people if they break the permissions. This is because interacting with most folks to ask for edits is nerve breaking to me due past experiences. So I always make a note to cease interaction with certain folks. The majority of people who break permissions are minors- Who I am uncomfortable to interact with anyways. Others are people who use the art style excuse (all though minors do this too) It’s not art style if you break character design in order to make it work in your ‘’style’’ its just lazy. :/ Other times people do follow the permissions correctly, but their art work is still very inexperienced. I want to limit who I revenge so I don’t get Overwhelmed, when I’m already enduring severe anxiety because of the yearly common repetitive mistakes. I update my character permissions almost yearly in hopes people read. But they don’t like reading it seems. I still save every piece to my pc and appreciate the effort and time given. I simply wish to focus my energy on people who do care about my character’s design, and mostly to play the game with friends. I’m not a machine. I over-attack Folks sometimes: I don’t expect people to attack back. But I will stop attacking people who don’t even comment. If they like my drawing then thats a job well done.

July is a terrible month every year it gets worse. I have seasonal affective disorder alongside a couple of other disabilities. Extreme weather affects my health terribly, and my condition gets pretty bad every summer. As a result I did mostly chibiheads this year to compensate. I’ll have to see if I can do mostly repetitive styles next year as well, and advertise that instead. It is simply too difficult to work on anything in my main style the majority of the time due the weather. My airco also broke, so that wasn’t helpful. Global warming is making artfight less and less enjoyable every year due the heat speaks in July.

Some of the favorite Attacks I did this year.

Chibiheads

Traditional Art

Main Art style

Whoop whoop. Now I’ll have to have a recovery period before I can draw my own stuff comfortably again. ATM the only stuff that’s queued up on my deviantart is adoptables and mostly simple stuff. I’m drained and on a gaming binge while trying to survive the heat. Today’s going to be HOT. Ughh. Save me.

Some of my favorite attacks I’ve gotten this year.

Just to note, I’ve received so much nice and amazeballs stuff, I just don’t want to make this blog too long however. Also, some folks don’t want their work reposted on social media (toyhouse is exempt.) They usually add a ‘’don’t repost’’ to their art, so that’s my go to. My profile states that attacking me means I’ll add artwork to their toyhouse. Artists get creditted on toyhouse, always!

Mothman by VV https://artfight.net/attack/3617376.something-to-fear

An amazing animation depicting a version of Mothman’s light absorption skill, Except they seem to affect the weather. I love this! It’s so smooth and creepy.

Mothman by Sweetsfiendish https://artfight.net/attack/2943803.mothman

Extremely cute art style. I’m still in love with it. Look at that baby. I want a plushie version.

Mothman by grepij https://artfight.net/attack/3100311.mothman

Amazing. Just.. Speechless when I saw this. I got really, really hyped. It really fits well with the character’s design. Ominous, mysterious.

The seedling by l0stw00fs https://artfight.net/attack/2893295.the-seedling

I love, love loveee this. He looks so anxious and quiet in this image. Like he’s been hurt. L0stw00fs interpretation of this characters is really good <3 Definetly one of my favorite pieces of the seedling.

Sarue by onebadomen https://artfight.net/attack/2907725.death-alley Amazing picture that really captures Sarue’s personality. I love cinematic scenes with this guy. The mist really ads to that ‘’I come at dusk’’ energy.

Morgaine by Iouquie https://artfight.net/attack/3644470.morgaine

I love the overall vibe and colors on this piece. Iouquie makes amazing paintings usually, but their less painty style is sooo good too. It has some comic feels in it.

Mora by Khvoxtic https://artfight.net/attack/3430413.ruby-red

I love this art style. Mora’s expression, hair, ears. She looks so cheeky and cute.

Nebula by Ixxy https://artfight.net/attack/3897464.nebula

A bit of favoritism here.. But Ixxy is one of my favorite artists of all time. They are also my friend!! Their artwork is always very pleasing to look at. Nebula looks charming and seductive on this piece.

Throne Cardinal by Michaelsilverleaf https://artfight.net/attack/3706589.throne-cardinal Their artwork has that comic book-y feel to it. I really love this depiction of Cardinal. His hair waves up, there’s a feeling of wind. There’s light coming from above. This AI is really good at looking divine!

Loki by Kitsunka https://artfight.net/attack/4076712.wizard-and-familiar

A last minute attack thrown at me by my dear friend Kitsunka. Kitsu’s art style is really cute and has great rendering. It feels soft and polished <3 This very cute image of Loki has my heart pound <3

Riel zero by Xili https://artfight.net/attack/3249115.riel-zero

Ahh, my main sona definetly got most attacks out of everyone this year. Newcomer mothman was popular too. A lot of these pieces have me roll on the floor and go ‘’hnngg’’ Then.. There’s Xili’s piece. The shading and light effects have me stare. This is a really really nice art style. And I’m using it as icon on toyhouse xD <3

Riel Zero by Mishooku https://artfight.net/attack/3915700.shattered

Amazing.. Mishooku mentioned they read my webtoon. And looking at this piece, they definetly took the time to look at the descriptions on his refsheets. I really adore this piece- because its the kind that would be on my wishlist bucketlist. People who read the lore parts and use it are a blessing. Man. I can’t get over how amazing this piece is.

There’s many more attacks I want to add to this post but it’s really long now, so I’ll end it with a last minute attack I received after artfight closed by bugorchard.

their social media: https://instagram.com/bugorchard/

I always love pieces people have made of Snow Solus, but this one really takes the cake. The painty style is soooo smooth. Her hair feels real. The light effects got me by the collar. Holy sheeeet. Bugorchard got them skills, man! They didn’t have to finish it- but they did. I’m just blown away by the skill. It makes me happy that they also did the superhero version of Snow.

There are many more attacks I received I want to add to this post, but I’ll leave it here. Maybe I’ll post them later as some artist appreciation post. But that’s it for my artfight summary. Maybe see you next year! (If I’m not dead from seasonal affective disorder by then.)

#artfight 2022 #artfight summary #artfight 2022 end #artfight 2022 summary #artfight 2022 team wither #artfight #team wither #art trade #gift art #drawing #digital art #art appreciation #oc #ocs #original characters #epic #illustration

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bartxnhood · 2 years

Text

part of you. | d.d

gif not mine.

|daryl x gn!reader

summary: after a close encounter, one of your dark secrets had finally been revealed.

warnings: reader having scars, not exactly a mention of abuse but it’s hinted at.

authors note: hi babes, back with daryl 😮‍💨 if y’all have any requests for daryl or anyone else i write for twd pls send them in ! (spider-man requests are closed atm) i hope you guys enjoy this one.

✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵

the heat of the summer sun beamed down on your skin, you had worked almost all morning on reinforcing the fences to prevent a breach of the dead. every day more and more seemed to pile up, it was getting harder to control them. a few others helps you with the wooden posts to uphold the fences, and the rest tried taking out as many as possible. “glenn, daryl, y/n. cmon it’s too hot for y’all. take a break” maggie hollered, heading down the path. everyone turned to look at her, and everyone nodded. “okay!” glenn yelled back. you took off your gloves, tossed them down and glenn followed. you were about to follow daryl and glenn but you felt tugging on your shirt.

you had gotten a bit too close to the fence, a walker had sneaked its arm it grabbing your shirt and pulling you back. you shrieked, getting daryl and glenn’s attention. both running back to you frantically. glenn had your arms and tried pulling you forward. you heard the ripping of your shirt, turning back you saw daryl killing the one who got you.

“shit” you breathed, daryl looked back to you, putting a hand on your shoulder “y’alright?” you nodded, feeling the breeze on your back. “what happened?!” maggie came up behind you, “walker got my shirt. ‘m fine” your hand reaching behind you to see how bad your shirt has been ripped. maggie held your arm,”cmon. let’s get you changed.” you looked up at daryl, you could see his expression. the look of worry washed over him, his face flushed. you turned away letting maggie guide you back to the prison. then he finally saw, what you had been hiding for so long. your back. your scars were now out in the open for everyone to see. and daryl did.

you stood in your cell, looking through to find a suitable shirt for the weather. hearing a pair of familiar footsteps approaching you, you turned around to be met with the archer. “yer back” he mumbled, stepping into the cell. you shrugged, a quiet sigh escaping your lips. “mhm.” you knew eventually someone would see each welt and scar covering your back. it was only a matter of time, but you didn’t expect daryl to be the first. you ran your hand through your greasy hair, then dropped your hands to your side. daryl carefully stood behind you, his finger gingerly going over your scars. “whyd ya hide em.” he stared at them for what felt like the longest. now, he felt like he knew all of you.

your body tensed, feeling his touch. “i hate em. they’re ugly.” he shakes his head, removing his hand from your back. “it’s you.” you looked over your shoulder, making eye contact. “i have em too. gotta learn to not be ashamed.” you gave him a half smile. “thank you.” the redneck blinked, “fer what” he hummed. “for loving me” he shrugged, taking a half step back. “ya deserve it.”

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon x you #daryl dixon oneshot #daryl dixon x reader #the walking dead daryl #daryl dixon imagine #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl x you #daryl x reader #twd daryl #daryl dixon x y/n #daryl dixon drabbles #the walking dead one shots #twd oneshot #twd imagine #twd drabbles #twd fanfic

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hoseokisgucci · 4 years

Text

HARD & FAST

GENRE: Smut

WORD COUNT: 2.6K

PAIRING: Reader x Jungkook

SUMMARY: Reader meets bunny boy at a party, has the hots for him, goes home with him. Ofc I can’t write smut without having something to look forward to so the ending is a lil fluffy.

WARNINGS: There some kinks in there, a little kink discovery aka humiliation, there’s no mentioned consent talk as such but both parties are willing. JK is lowkey dominating, reader is lowkey into that, there’s a bit of hickeys spread through, some sucking and blowing.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I wrote this in my haze of assignments so forgive me if its not as tasteful as you’d like. I am working on another one atm, so lets see how that one goes. Have fun reading!! ;) if you have any prompts, hmu.

"Hard and fast? Is that what you want?" The stranger whispers in your ears, his hands around your thighs holding you up against the wall. You nod and turn your head the other way as he trails kisses down your neck. When he opens his mouth and starts sucking, the pleasure that runs through your body makes you moan. The sound you let out makes him grind forward into you, the friction so delicious, it makes you tighten your grip around his shoulders. Since its summer, he's just wearing a thin flannel tucked into his jeans. Your hands try and hold onto him, fingers tightening their grip on the fabric.

One of his hands leave your thigh and comes up to gently hold your chin. As he turns your face in his direction, your eyes meet his, and you can see the lust swirling in his eyes. His lips meet yours, this second kiss gentler than the first. His hips still grind into yours in a slow roll, the movement making you grind forward, looking for more. He parts from you, first his lips, and then his hands leaving your body. The ghost of his touch still lingers, the warmth feeling like the remains of an ember.

As his eyes wander your form, from your disheveled hair and swollen lips to your now blushing cheeks and neck, he asks you a question.

"Yours or mine?"

One of your hands move up in an attempt to fix your hair, and you answer,

"Yours?"

He nods his head and tips his head, as if politely asking you to start walking. The manner in his gesture makes you feel like he's asking you to walk into a palace and not out of an alley. You shake your head but still walk, and he comes up beside you. The air of the night cools your neck, your skin getting a chance to go back to normal.

"I'm Jungkook. Didn't really have time for introductions."

"Yeah, what with your tongue down my throat? That's understandable. I'm y/n."

He nods his head and leans closer to you and says, "It's definitely a pleasure to meet you." His breath hits your neck, the warmth of it making you want to pull him closer. You push him away as you glance at him, and the mirth in his eyes makes him look even more attractive. As if he knows what you're thinking, he cocks one brow, cupid lips opening to say something filthy. But you beat him to it and say,

"Shut it. Don't make me not want to fuck you. "

He gasps, hands coming to rest on his heart, eyes wide, eyebrows furrowed. The playfulness in his expression looks cute, if not endearing.

"We can't have that happening!"

You make it to his apartment in no time, you cross the threshold and he closes the door behind him, you turn to him and surge forward to kiss him on the mouth. At first, his hands only hold onto your face in a tender way but as your tongue probes his mouth, his hands move to wander down your body. He grips your breasts, fondling them as your tongues dance together. When he deftly twists your nipple, the action making you arch into him, you part from his mouth and whisper,

"Is this the hard and fast you talk of baby?"

His face hardens, and for a second it looks like you've offended him. In one quick motion, he picks you and puts you over his shoulder, spanking your ass once you're perched on his shoulder. The surprise of it all leaves your mouth hanging open. You only concentrate on his ass as he walks, one of your hands swatting it as you giggle. His hand comes up to spank yours again, but he still laughs.

He dumps you on the bed, and commands, "Strip. Now."

The tone in which he says this makes you know that he's not messing around, so you scramble to take off your clothes, and he does the same. Once naked, he moves to grab a condom from a bedside drawer and leaves it on the bed beside you. The way his body moves almost as if on the prowl and it makes you want him even more. The muscles beneath his skin hold the promise of something so addicting, you just know you'll want to taste it again and again.

He climbs over you, his mouth claiming your neck and his fingers probing your mouth. You let him suck a hickey on your neck as he lets you suck on his fingers. Your tongue moves around and in between his fingers, saliva coating them. When he's satisfied with the hickey he's sucking on your neck, he moves to loom over you, two of his fingers now thrusting in your mouth. His tongue licks his lower lip, teeth biting down on it. He then removes his fingers from your mouth, and you open your legs wider, one of your hands coming down to hold yourself open for him, fingers spreading your nether lips. As his slick fingers enter your core, you let out a sigh of relief, the feeling of being filled with anything making your body feel good. When he thrusts his fingers experimentally, and your walls contract around them, he mutters,

"Such a good girl. Take them good while I'm giving it to you."

You nod your head, and he increases his pace a little. When your core loosens around his fingers and you ask for more, he stops his movement. He cocks his head, eyes analysing you, and you just know he's going to say something cocky.

"Tell me darling. Did you perhaps, indulge yourself a bit? Aren't you taking my fingers a little too easily? Or are you just a whore?"

He whispers the last question, and timber of his voice makes humiliation swirl within you. You should feel bad, or weird at least, but the pleasure in your veins just heightens when you hear him say that.

You rub your lips together, body desperate for pleasure and you whimper out an affirmation.

"Yes. Yes, please."

He smiles, satisfied, and his fingers, now three breach your core. He moves them slowly at first, but when he feels you loosing up, your mouth letting out little sounds everytime his fingers enter you to the hilt. With his fingers moving at a brutal pace inside you, its not long before you're begging for his cock.

"Fuck me. Wanna cum on your cock, please."

He lets out a string of profanities as he gets his fingers out of you. He looks at your pussy, pink and glistening, and moves his gaze to your face, only to lock eyes with you. You take him in for a moment. Hair hanging in his eyes, now frizzy with the heat between your bodies. His face looks even more attractive when flushed, and his blown out pupils just add to his demonically sexy aura. When his fingers go to his mouth, where his now red lips wrap around them and suck them in, it feels as if time stands still. His eyes hold yours hostage as he licks them clean. When he fists his cock, eyes closing and head tipping back, your eyes zero in on the motion. You move forward and wrap your hand around his, his head bending to look at you. The wide eyes that you hit him with makes it look like you're asking for candy and not his cock. The way you silently ask with your eyes and your body is what makes him guide your mouth to his cock, the hand that was moving now stilling and holding onto the base as your mouth wraps around the tip. He lets out a sigh as your wet mouth envelops his tip, and that sigh turns into a groan when you start to suck. The grip on your head turns tighter and he lifts your head, tongue hanging out of your mouth as you look at him.

"Did I ask you to suck baby?"

The question hangs heavy between you, and when you whisper a 'no' and your mouth closes, he taps the tip of his dick on your mouth.

"That desperate to make me feel good? Or do you just want something to fill you up somewhere?"

He doesn't give you chance to answer as he slaps your cheek lightly with his dick, once, twice and then pushes the tip into your mouth. When you show no resistance and let him in willingly, he loosens his grip on your head. You suck him in deeper, your hand once again wrapping around his. He lets you do as you please, and the moans he lets out push you on. When you deepthroat him, tears brimming your eyes, nose touching his pelvis, he's quick to pull you off and push you back on the bed. Your eyes watch him rip the condom and put it on, and he comes back to hover over you. His eyes meet yours, and in a calm voice he asks you,

"You good?"

You smile at him, one hand coming up to caress his face, and you say,

"Yes. I'm good."

He nods his head, and moves to finally get into you. At first he gives a few experimental thrusts, and when he sees that you're really all good, he starts moving faster, hips snapping into yours. One of his hands grope your chest, twisting your nipple, while the other one holds your hip. You're sure that there will be bruises on your hips tomorrow, but you're too lost to care. Your mouth still lets out little whimpers, which turns into full blown moaning when he hits your spot. He laughs and says,

"Found it."

He moves his hips in such a way that the tip of his cock keeps hitting your spot, and you keep moaning like a mad woman.

"You know, you-ah fuck, you sound like a pornstar right now. Let's see how louder you get."

As if fueled on by your moans, he pulls out of you and turns you over in an instant, dick entering you again. Now you're on your knees, elbows bent, head resting on the mattress. But as he picks up pace and starts abusing your g-spot again, you start moaning again. Probably louder now. The new angle makes you feel him hit all the right spots, and before you know it, your walls are already contracting around him, and you feel an orgasm coming on. Your hair sticks to your neck, sweat clinging to your body, tears brimming in your eyes. The tide inside of you gets higher and higher.

"I-ah, I am g-going to cum! Fuck, yes! Oh my God!"

One of his hands come up to rub your clit, hips snapping brutally into yours, and he says,

"N-not God b-but I guess it should, fuck, it should do."

With the motion of his hips, the added stimulation to your clit and the sound of his voice, the tide inside of you falls and before you know it, you're squirting around him, body pulled tight, throat letting out a wail.

His hips stutter inside of you, fingers slowing on your clit as he exclaims,

"Fuck! Did you just squirt? Holy shit. Oh my God."

His hips pick up pace, and he brings your body upright, your back to his chest, and you go, no energy left in you. Your head rests back on his shoulder, eyes closed, mouth open, and his hands wrap around you.

He now fucks up into you, the overstimulation making you clench around him harder, and every thrust makes lightning bolts go up your spine. You feel that he's closer, his thrust having no pace now as he just ruts into you, in and out. Your head tips to the side, and his face, covered in sweat, jaw clenched, make you open your mouth, and whisper in his ear,

"Cum for me. Cum for me baby. Give it to me. Fill me up nice."

He looks sideways at you, his hand squeezing your tit. He lets out a 'fuck', thrusting once, twice, and then cumming in the condom. He sits back on his haunches, taking you with him, his body now supporting yours fully. The back of your thighs rest on his thighs, and as he catches his breath, his hands tighten around you. His lips mouth at your shoulder, moving to your neck and then your cheek. He leaves a light kiss there, and slowly moves you off of him. He lays you down, takes off the condom and leaves the room, his fingers tying it up.

You close your eyes, the recent happenings flashing through your mind. You looking at Jungkook in his tight jeans and shirt tucked in at your friend's party. You meeting Jungkook, being introduced as he glides his eyes over your body. You running into him in the kitchen, apologizing. Him, leaning in to kiss you, you kissing him back. Him, asking if you want to get out. The alley, the cute questions, the mind-blowing sex. Your thoughts are interrupted when Jungkook rubs your calf, and you open your eyes to see him wearing shorts and holding a glass of water. Even now, he looks other worldy. He helps you sit up and holds the glass to your lips. He only takes it away when you've drunk the whole glass. He mutters a 'Wait' and quickly gets a black tee from his closet, which he helps you put on. He asks you to stand for a moment and gets the duvet off the bed. As he urges you to lie back down, he says,

"It was uh, wet. Just a little."

As his words register, you blush and turn to face the other side. He chuckles but leaves you alone for a moment, and the next thing you know, you're being covered by a blanket. You savour the warmth for a moment before you say,

"I'll be out of your hair soon. Just another moment or two and I'll get dressed

Don't wanna make this awkward for you." You sigh when you hear no reply, and you start getting up.

When you turn over and your legs hit the floor, Jungkook says,

"Wait. I don't want you to go."

You turn your head to look at him standing there, his fingers fumbling around. When you don't say anything, he continues.

"I just, look, your friend, I know her. She was in one of my classes. And I have seen you with her. Multiple times. And I've always wanted to ask you out but I just didn't really know how, you know? So I didn't. But whatever happened now, I liked it, loved it even. Dream come true and all that. But can you, will you, go out with me, on a date?"

He sucks his cheeks in, eyes blown wide, still wringing his hands.

Your hand comes up to tuck your hair behind your ear and turn your body to face him. "So you're telling me you have a crush on me? And that I'm good in bed, and that you wanna take me out?"

He seems to process your words, and then a shy smile breaks out on his face. He nods his head and while messing around with his bangs he says,

"Hmm yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

You nod your head, and get back into the blanket. When you don't feel him get into bed beside you, you raise your head to look at him still standing there, and say,

"Well I would like to sleep and cuddle for a while before we go on our breakfast date, or lunch date."

You laugh when you see him launch himself on the bed and get in with you. He cuddles up beside you, his added warmth making you relax. As you start to get sleepy, you think to yourself,

Hard and fast indeed.

E N D.

#jungkook x reader #jungkook x you #jungkook smut #bts smut #bts fanfiction #bts fanfic #bts fic #bts jungkook #jeon jungkook #jeon jeongkook #this is filth #smut

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smute · 3 years

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i was tagged by the wonderful gem gem gemmaaaaaaaaaa @whenwinterfell

1. what do you prefer to be called name-wise?

name-calling? bitch (affectionate) or bro (sarcastic) but jan is also fine

2. when is your birthday?

10 april

3. where do you live?

atm im still enrolled in bremen but i moved back to [redacted] to live with my parents when i started going insane(r) in my dorm room after months of isolation. will probably move to berlin in the fall bc my plans a, b, and c fell through and i dont know what else to do but lets not talk about that 🥲

4. three things you are doing right now?

having a really bad day, drawing on my arm like a child, listening to marina

5. four fandoms that have peaked your interest?

i honestly dont even know what a fandom really is lmao my obsessions with stuff never last long enough to grow into anything substantial

6. how has the pandemic been treating you?

idek how to answer this.... i know im one of the lucky ones and im very grateful, but at the same time im doing worse than ever before... the past 15 months have been hard, a lot has been destroyed and im struggling to look ahead or feel hopeful ✌️😗

7. a song you can’t stop listening to right now?

VENUS FLY TRAP

8. recommend a movie:

Legally Blonde (2001)

9. how old are you?

29 and fuck you for asking (jk lol)

10. school, university, occupation, other?

im about to start an MA in english lit 🤡 and i justify my existence in this capitalist system with 3 separate jobs in 3 diff teams of my uni's pr department (yes its about as adhd friendly as it sounds)

11. do you prefer heat or cold?

COLD!!!! im a sweaty bitch and my skin is a beautiful, delicate shade of raw pork so i really hate the summer. i can admit that the concept has a certain appeal tho

12. name one fact others may not know about you

not really a fact but a fun anecdote: i transferred schools in first grade, just a few months into the school year and, on the first day at my new school, went home with a random girl. apparently sabrina had invited me to hang out, so we went to her house and spent the afternoon watching cartoons and eating candy. we were both latchkey kids (quite common where im from). my mom finished work around noon and obviously shat a brick when she came home to an empty apartment. my parents freaked the fuck out, called everyone they knew and eventually a major police operation was launched within hours of my disappearance... like friends and family were searching all over town for me, police were sweeping fields and the forest next to our neighborhood and 6 year old me was just chilling at this girls house lmaooooo... her mom came home later that night and asked me if my parents knew where i was BECAUSE SHE HAD HEARD A RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A MISSING BOY. the weird thing is that sabrina had TWO older sisters who were obviously supposed to watch her (us?) but neither of them had the wherewithal to ask "hmm do the parents of this new kid you dragged in from the street know where he is?"

13. are you shy?

idk man... yeah? but then people keep telling me i come across as an extrovert and outgoing or whatever and i just think to myself omfg? i have to stop overcompensating

14. preferred pronouns?

he/they

15. biggest pet peeves?

"people who chew with their mouth open" <- yes absolutely! and when people interrupt others... which is slightly hypocritical of me but it just drives me up the wall!!!! even when it happens to others and im just a witness it makes me flip my lid

16. what is your favourite “dere” type?

my what now

17. rate your life from 1-10: idk man my brain doesnt really do long term analytics? i find a gummy bear on the floor - its an eleven. i experience a minor inconvenience - i want to kms.

18. what’s your main blog?

this is my only one

19. list your sideblogs and what they’re used for:

i feel like you're not even listening to me

20. is there something people need to know about you before becoming friends?

i guess it takes me a while to warm up to people but once we reach the friendship stage its basically impossible to get rid of me and im very loyal and committed? sounds like a dog lmao. BUT at the same time that can be hard to see for other people bc im also impulsive and not the best when it comes to consistent communication so... dont take it personally when i disappear for a few days and then message u like nothing happened🥺

tagging: @shyredpanda @mmolia ❤️‍🔥

#tag game #moochies

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jemmo · 3 years

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‘get to know me’ tag game

rules: answer the questions and tag people you’d like to get to know better.

i was tagged by @ena-noya11 and yes this is old but ive been busy with uni and am not gonna miss a chance to rant about myself. but i wont tag anyone, just if you see this do it bc wtf not???

What do you perfer to be called name-wise?

jess, always jess. i cant remember the last time anyone called me jessica. although some people do call me moon which is cute

When is your birthday?

september 23rd

Where do you live?

im as british as they come

Three things you are doing right now:

let me see...im procrastinating from doing my dry lab work bc i cant go back into labs, im listening to my lovely new side m boys (rn its infinite possibilities by s.e.m, who lowkey may be my faves) and im knitting a jumper

Four fandoms that have piqued your interest?

1. atm defo hypmic. cant wait for the 3rd drb release to drop, in need hq black journey

2. also defo defo sk8 i really cant get enough of these skateboard gays, and ive ventured into ao3 and i dont regret it at all

3. again, idolmaster side m (can you tell i like the 2d idols) i just binged the anime after finishing a uni project and the music is absolute fire i would sell my soul for all of them

4. i hate to say it but the promised neverland, bc the first season was so good and now ive picked up the manga, and personally every single situation ive headcannoned is better than what this season is giving me

How has the pandemic been treating you?

idk really?? like day to day it doesn’t feel that bad, but i feel like it isn’t helping me at all. this is my 4th year of uni which was supposed to be very lab heavy which hasn’t happened, and being away has really dropped my confidence in being able to actually do science. and as a shy person it’s just giving me an excuse to be distant and keep to myself which isn’t good bc i know i need to make an effort to be social. but at least ive been able to spend lots of time with my family which is great bc 3 years of uni has really taught me how much i miss them when im away

but it gave me the perfect opportunity to get into anime which is great bc as a person that in the past hyperfixates and jumps between fandoms, something tells me this is gonna stick

A song you can’t stop listening to right now?

KAIGEN by badass temple. no joke it slaps. as of rn i want them to win the drb, just bc of how hard that song goes

How old are you?

22. fuck im 22, 23 this year. it feels like i only just turned 18, how am i supposed to be an adult now

School, univerisity, occupation, other?

uni, im in my 4th masters year doing biochem (and genetics), although all im studying this year is plants plants plants

Do you prefer heat or cold?

cold. defo cold. i dont mind the summer but ever since i got heatstroke a couple of years ago in a very very hot paris, ive been scarred

Name one fact others may not know about you.

i love love love watching costube, it is my gig. id love to be able to sew properly and make my own clothes

Are you shy?

definately. unless you are my family, i dont know how to act around you

Pronouns?

she/her

Biggest pet peeves?

people just not being concious of the fact that the world exists kinda?? like people that are just too preocupied with themselves. like its not that hard to just do a helpful job for someone. and you can be completely selfish about it, bc itll make you feel good to help someone else. just be nice.

What is your favorite “dere” type?

lol lowkey i love a bakadere, but only if theyre done well

Rate your life from 1-10, 1 being crappy and 10 being the best it could be.

probably 8, maybe even a 9. i have the best family, and im doing well at uni. i can just hang out, watch anime, do some work, do some crochet or knitting. i have lots of stuff to so and that i want to do which always feels great. but im also right at that turning point where im about to leave uni and have to figure out what my life is gonna be like which is terrifying, and im also at that point where i feel like my entire life revolves around uni work which kinda sucks bc theres other stuff i want to do, like learn to sew, or learn a language, that i just dont have time for. but honestly, i wouldnt have it any other way

What’s your main blog?

youre on it

List your side blogs and what they’re used for.

none. i dont have time or the mental capacity to cope with side blogs. this is just the mess of content and stream of concious rants you get

Is there something people need to know about you before becoming friends?

i SUCK at communicating. like i actively dislike communicating unless it is a 1 on 1 face to face conversation. so if i dont message you, it doesnt mean i hate you. i just suck at keeping in contact with people, and am working on it. so please just talk to me, bc ill never not want to talk

lol if you got to the end thanks and see ya

#tag game

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theharellan · 4 years

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THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.

fill out & repost ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm. tagged by: stolen from @dansiere tagging: @ghiassan, @deathsreflection, @altuspavus, @windrunnerrs (velanna), @hopewrought, @willbeshot, @seahaloed (iron bull), @asterfed (noctis), @ anyone who wants to steal it! also multis feel free to choose a different character

My muse is: canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless / complicated (i’m open to roleplaying with non-dragon age characters, and have AUs for other fandoms)

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO. solas is both wildly popular and wildly hated. he’s been more consistently popular than the controversial women in the series, like sera or vivienne, who have only recently begun to get to the point where their tags are less vitriolic (although i’m sure it’s still out there), but there’s still a sizable hatedom that can’t have his name breathed in their vicinity w/o them talking abt how much they hate him. even if you’re currently cosplaying him!

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom? YES / NO / IDK. again, you have ppl who are super into him and ppl who think he’s ugly. my personal opinion is that i think he’s weirdly pretty, and wish ppl would commit more to his unconventional features rather than try to chisel him into sb more traditionally attractive and that ppl who don’t find him attractive would maybe chill w/ calling him ugly. find him unattractive by all means, but lets embrace the fact that inquisition let their love interests have skin flaws etc and accept that some won’t be our cups of tea.

Is your character considered strong in the fandom? YES / NO / IDK. its hard to deny at this point tbh.

Are they underrated? YES / NO / IDK. frustrating as the hate in the tags he has enough fans that i couldnt say he’s underrated w/ a straight face.

Were they relevant for the main story? YES / NO. he’s the reason the game starts with a bang and not the inevitable dissolution of the conclave b/c the sides are disparate.

Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG. regardless of solas’ relationship with the inquisitor, there are parallels and contrasts in their stories and he also is the reason they survive inquisition.

Are they widely known in their world? YES / NO. fen’harel is well-known and revered, if feared, among the dalish, yet at the same time he’s not remembered for a lot besides locking the gods away-- and the context of that decision has also been lost. as solas he’s relatively unknown until inquisition and especially trespasser.

How’s their reputation? GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL. again, polarising!! he has loyal agents and people are willing to speak well of him despite everything, including his enemies sometimes (depending mostly on the inquisitor).

How strictly do you follow canon? — generally i try to have a canon basis for my interpretation, even if i interpret the text differently than the author.

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals. — solas is an immortal who is simultaneously jaded and very much invested in the small moments of life. far from being weary of the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, it is systems and orders he is most tired of. he walks an interesting line that feels far less misanthropic than other immortal characters i’ve experienced, yet still he’s quite cynical. as a character who has fought against religious based tyranny before, but in a completely different era, he is in a unique position where what he sees around him is both horrifyingly familiar and yet completely new. it allows an exploration of the wrongs of thedas’ society from an outsider’s perspective. his motivations are complex and multifaceted, often condemnable and yet also understandable. his character arc in inquisition (if befriended, or regardless in the case of my solas) takes him from a dispassionate, disconnected antagonist to someone deeply invested in the people of thedas, deeply conflicted and actively hoping he will be proven wrong again. i think his story is a testament to human (or elven, or dwarven, or-) connection and how even when we resist we can’t resist creating bonds with the people in our lives. i personally see this bond going beyond the inquisitor hence why i play low-approval solas as conflicted as high-approval, if not when it comes to the inquisitor.

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?). — solas is selfish and motivated solely by revenge, he’s clinging to a past that clearly no longer exists, if you ignore all the people from it who are still alive. he’s totally unaware of all his flaws and never owns up to any mistakes ever. no, i haven’t listened to a single word solas has said in my life why do you ask. he’s also critical of my faves which means he’s #cancelled, there is clearly no validity to what he’s saying. ksjdf no but in all seriousness i think a lot of reasons ppl don’t find solas interesting are just... weird readings of his character that sometimes have no basis in the text of inquisition, but also there are plenty of perfectly valid reasons to not find him interesting. usually those ppl don’t like... talk abt how much they don’t find him interesting constantly tho. they just chill and aren’t invested in this particular villain. for one thing i think the game missed out on opportunities for exploring how someone who may not have even had a body at the beginning of his existence would feel about gender and sexuality, so making him presumably straight and cis was a boring choice. i also think that the dragon age games being very protagonist-centric hurts solas’ character, there’s no real reason why the inquisitor is the only one who can throw his plans into question but making the player the center of the universe means he’s not allowed to change due to the effects of other companions or NPCs. thank god this is rp and i do what i want.

What inspired you to rp your muse? — i have a history degree so when the inquisition companions were being teased, solas describing bias in primary sources from the memories he’s seen got me interested in him. but my first playthrough i didn’t actually take him with me all too often, i think my main party was dorian-blackwall-varric. i liked him, and i think he or dorian were my first friends in skyhold, but my initial interest was in other characters. between his dialogue that appealed to the historian in me tho and how his spirit opinions sort of turned everything i’d felt about spirits in the last two games on its head, i started vibing with him more the farther i went in. like merrill set me up for the “spirits are people” thing and solas hit it out of the park. then temple of mythal happened, and i did bring solas with me there. i found his dialogue fascinating and also suspicious, i’d just finished masked empire like the day before da:i came out so i definitely thought solas was an ancient elf in the same vein as felassan. it was after temple of mythal that i actually decided to make his blog, although like as one idk linchpin to cement my status as solas trash... i was hit BAD by the banter bug on my first playthrough, probably got like a dozen banters total. but then at some point late in the game i took solas to the forbidden oasis and he wouldn’t stop talking to people, and i really loved his banter with the rest of my party at the time.

What keeps your inspiration going? — replaying inquisition, new DA content when the bioware gods deign to grant us a lifeline, but the biggest thing is my rp partners. i wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the people i write with, new and old. my activity of late hasn’t been the best, work and the summer heat has really been sapping me of energy, and does even during years when we aren’t going through a pandemic. but it’s the thought of my rp partners and love of solas that keeps me coming back.

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice? YES / NO / I SINCERELY HOPE I DO? i have my doubts sometimes, but i think i do ok.

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO / SORT OF? there is no headcanon too small for me.

Do you sometimes write drabbles? YES / NO. but not lately * gestures to the low activity * i’ve been in this cycle where i get anxious abt late replies, so prioritise them, then burn myself out and can’t write the fics i want. i’ve had two i’ve been DYING to write tho i just... need to find the space in my brain to let myself.

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day? YES / NO. i mean it depends on the day. if i work closing shifts at my store it gets very quiet and boring around 8:30 so i spent the next 90 minutes thinking about character stuff.

Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO / SORT OF?

Are you confident in your writing? YES / NO / SOMETIMES.

Are you a sensitive person? YES / NO / SORTA.

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal? — i’m going to say ‘no’ because like, i don’t ask for criticism. this is a hobby based on my interpretation of a character, if you think i write solas too soft then you’re welcome to think that, but i’m happy with the balance i’ve struck with his internal versus external behaviour and how he changes based upon who he’s speaking to. if you think i’m erasing straight people by making solas pan then ksjdfs. ok.

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character? — yes!!! even if they retread ground already trodden, a) my interpretation may have adjusted since the last time i played or b) a reminder is nice. if it’s new stuff then it’s fun to think about.

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why? — it’d depend on why they disagree. if they just disagree on a subjective opinion about what i took from a certain line, then they’re welcome to their opinion but i don’t necessarily care to hear it. if it is unintentionally hurtful then i would like to know. although rather than a comment i’d rather a non-anonymous message.

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it? — same as the above.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it? — if they’re vocal about it i typically just unfollow / softblock if i was following in the first place. people can feel how they want about solas, but i’ve found over the years that if people really hate solas ooc it can often bleed into their ic interactions. it’s really weird seeing your character being brought up repeatedly in threads with others specifically to dunk on, for no reason other than i guess solas is living rent free in their heads, so at least we have that in common. but anyway unfollowing is just the best choice to avoid getting kinda pressed if i’m having a bad day.

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors? — roleplay is the wild west of writing, so i think it’d depend on what the error was. coming at me like “you shouldn’t start a sentence with a preposition” would get a laugh, but i don’t edit my replies much if at all and mistakes will 100% happen. pointing out typos is chill so long as you do it politely.

Do you think you are easy going as a mun? — it depends! i’ve learned that being too easy going actually just means i’m subjecting myself to negative emotions to please people. so i’ve gotten less easy going as the years go by. how does one define “easy going” anyway? does asking that question mean i am objectively not easy going? the longer this thought goes on the more the answer seems to be “probably not,” but i like to think it could be a lot worse.

#( long post )#( ooc )#( about me )

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rouge-the-bat · 4 years

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i was tagged by @thegirlwiththebird on my bi-lesbian blog ! im not sure why its not letting me tag her tho, so i just put a link instead! (also some things i think were typod so i copied the list from another post i was able to find with this set up!)

rules: bold the statements that apply to you and italicize your aspirations

im changing the // between phrases to ♡♡ again so its easier for me to distinguish phrases, and to also help this be easier for me to read, my own "key" will be like:

bold: is me!

italics: aspiration~

plain text: kinda fits me

strikethrough: doesnt fit me at all

(subscript parenthesis): my comments!

💨 AIR 💨

i have small hands (i think theyre average size?) ♡♡ i love the night sky ♡♡ i watch small animals and birds when i pass them by ♡♡ i drink herbal tea ♡♡ i wake to see dawn (im often awake for it but i wake up in the afternoon :p) ♡♡ the smell of dust is comforting ♡♡ i’m valued for being wise (im not sure if i am already??? would be cool to be seen as such tho owo) ♡♡ i prefer books to music ♡♡ i meditate (i wanna try bc it may be good for me :O) ♡♡ i find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

🔥 FIRE 🔥

i don’t have straight hair (my hair is very straight, unlike myself) ♡♡ i like to wear ripped jeans and overalls (indifferent on jeans, but id like to wear overalls sometime) ♡♡ i play an organized sport ♡♡ i love dogs ♡♡ i am not afraid of adventure ♡♡ i love to talk to strangers (i like meetin new ppl and chatting online, im bad with it in person tho owo;;) ♡♡ i always try new foods (depends on my mood) ♡♡ i enjoy road trips ♡♡ summer is my favorite season (nope, cant stand the heat!) ♡♡ my radio is always playing

🌊 WATER 🌊

i wear bracelets on my wrists (im wearing one on each wrist rn!) ♡♡ i love the bustle of the city ♡♡ i have more than one set of piercings (only my ears are pierced) ♡♡ I read poetry (id like to read more sometime, i just usually dont have the focus to read stuff much) ♡♡ i love the sound of a thunderstorm ♡♡ i want to travel the world ♡♡ i sleep past midday most days ♡♡ i love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs ♡♡ i rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia ♡♡ i see emotions in colors, not words

🌲 EARTH 🌲

i wear glasses/contacts ♡♡ i enjoy doing the laundry ♡♡ i am a vegetarian or vegan ♡♡ i have an excellent sense of time (dear god no, its shit awful) ♡♡ my humor is very cheerful (it depends tbh? my humors all over the place, fun, silly, dark, random, just whatever) ♡♡ i am a valued advisor to my friends ♡♡ i believe in true love (like i said on one before, probably not in a typical sense) ♡♡ i love the chill of mountain air ♡♡ i’m always listening to music (i cant really stand having music going all the time a lot of the times, and my music moods are kinda scarce lately. if im always playing music on some days its probably a game soundtrack, usually instrumental. or just obsessed with one or a couple songs atm and repeating them lol) ♡♡ i am highly trusted by the people in my life

🌌 AETHER 🌌

i go without makeup in my daily life (i kinda wanna wear lipstick and blush more tho, and maybe eyeshadow/eyeliner. generally just wanna dress up more bc a nice aesthetic helps boost my energy i think) ♡♡ i make my own artwork ♡♡ i keep on track of my tasks and time ♡♡ i always know true north ♡♡ i see beauty in everything (i try to!) ♡♡ i can always smell flowers (if im outside i do, but i dont go outside much... i wanna tho) ♡♡ i smile at everyone i pass by ♡♡ i always fear history repeating itself ♡♡ i have recovered from a mental disorder (cant say ive "recovered" from any, but my depression isnt as bad as it used to be, energy is still shit tho) ♡♡ i can love unconditionally

aaaand @spiiderbiites @miphelda @kipokin @queerplyke @ameila @skayforrest this is the last post for me to catch up with these tag games, so sorry for all the tags suddenly !! hope yall dont mind <:'3

#starry asks #bitch has finished >:3!!#i love doing these i just been havin a long bout of No Energy #n hadnt felt like getting on them yet jfkxjck

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aeneidpdf · 4 years

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big sky country

chapter: 3/?

word count: 4.3k+

summary: they set out for Niagara Falls, and stop for lunch at Becket Quarry.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394804/chapters/59282086

They got through the checkout line quickly, and then they were back in the van- Pete in the back, Ray and Art in the middle seats, and Abraham and Collie up front. Abraham fiddled with his phone, pulling up the directions to Niagara Falls while Collie popped in the first of the Johnny Cash CDs that Pete had bought.

It was the American IV: The Man Comes Around album. Johnny Cash’s voice came over the speakers, saying: "And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder. One of the four beasts saying, 'Come and see.' and I saw, and behold a white horse."

“Great,” Abraham said. “A song about judgement day to start our trip. That’s not a bad sign at all.”

“It’s just a song,” Ray said.

“Ray’s right,” Pete added, lazing in the back row. “No need to worry yourself, Abe. Geez, good thing it wasn’t God’s Gonna Cut You Down or we never would’ve gotten this thing off the ground.”

In the side mirror, Art could see a hint of a grimace on Abraham’s face, but Collie was laughing and asking him to start the directions. Over top of the music, came the canned voice of the maps app: “Turn right to merge onto Maine Turnpike toward I-95. In 55 miles, keep left on I-95 South.”

Collie whistled low through his teeth. “Shit. Fifty-five miles.”

“Better get a move on!” It was Pete, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Lot more where that came from.”

Collie didn’t answer that, and they pulled out of the parking lot and merged onto the Maine Turnpike. Art didn’t quite know what he thought about the song, but he felt like he was on Abraham’s side. He didn’t practice much now, but he was raised Baptist, and his family had been heavily involved in the church down home in Louisiana, until they moved. They’d found a new church when they moved up to Maine. Art had been baptized in Highland Lake, just a thirty minute drive out of Portland, when he was eleven.

He had stood in the water that came up nearly to his armpits, his clothing floating loose around him and the marshy bottom of the lake swirling and tugging at his feet. It was a bright hot day in early May, but the water was cold, and the look in the minister’s eyes was serious. Art had been scared then. He wanted to turn tail and run back to his mother. But his mother and father and aunt and uncle were watching with bated breath, and his siblings were waiting on the shore, their shoes and socks shucked off and tossed aside. They were watching him too, and waiting for their turn. He was the oldest now; he had to be brave.

Art had then been dunked under the water and he resisted the urge to thrash against the strong hands that held him. The lake water wrapped around him and engulfed him like a coffin. He was drowning. He had forgotten to take a breath before the minister submerged him, and now he was drowning. He thought of another body, rotting in standing water, and bubbles expelled from his mouth in a mad burst as he let out a soundless scream. Finally, he was hauled up by the collar of his starched white dress shirt, and he came up breathless and temporarily blinded by the sun, while his mother cheered hysterically on the shore.

Thinking of it now still made him feel like he was going to be sick.

Even more than religion though, his life was ruled by superstition.

Superstitions were as sure as summer storms and waves of summer heat rising up from the cracked and melted asphalt. The whole south was steeped in superstition, and the Baker family was no exception. Superstition worked its way into the practices and customs of every season. On New Year’s, they ate black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck and money. In fact, that was what they ate nearly all year round, because that was what they could afford.

The Baker children went around town with dimes strung around their necks to ward off the devil, and whenever his mother opened a new loaf of bread, she threw the first end slice in the garbage. “To keep money comin’ our way,” she explained when Art asked about it. Art watched, forlorn and hungry, as she tossed the bread into the garbage. Money never seemed to come their way.

In the summer, when the alligators came out of hibernation and the humidity floated off the wetlands and settled heavily over everything, Art was warned about alligators climbing out of the bayou and slithering under his house. Those meant there would be a death in the family soon. Art always took the stairs up and down the porch two at a time, frantic to get away from the monster hiding under the house, waiting for the perfect moment to snap at his ankles and drag him under.

There weren’t any alligators in Maine, but Art still sometimes dreamed of one, lying in wait for him, red eyes glowing out of the darkness. He shuddered imperceptibly at the thought.

Would a song ruin their whole trip? No, but a part of him still felt apprehensive.

Outside the window, South Portland disappeared, and they were on the Maine Turnpike, heading south. The song had changed, and Hurt was playing now. Over the van’s speaker system, Johnny Cash’s voice sang: “What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know goes away in the end.” The guitar melody built behind his voice in a way that made Art’s chest tighten. It rose in a crescendo and then disappeared as the next verse began.

“Have any of you heard the original of this song?” Ray asked.

From behind them, Pete answered, “Yeah. Nine Inch Nails. It’s good, but, you know, it’s not this.”

“I’d be fucking pissed if I wrote a song and then found out Johnny Cash did a cover of it,” Collie said.

Abraham laughed in the passenger seat. “Of course you’d be pissed.”

“Well, yeah! You write a song about some personal shit, and then Johnny Cash comes along and sings it and makes it a hundred times better. How would you feel?”

He thought for a moment and shrugged. “Shit, yeah. I guess I’d be kinda mad too.”

“You guys are thinking about it the wrong way,” Art said. “Imagine getting a call that Johnny Cash wants to record your song? That’d be exciting. That’d be an honor.”

He could see Collie looking at him in the rearview mirror, his eyes creased with his smile. “I guess that’s right.” It made Art smile too, and duck his head.

“It’s a good thing you’re on this thing with us, Art,” Abraham said, twisting around in his seat to face him. “It’s a good thing at least one of us isn’t an asshole.”

“Hey!” Pete protested. “Ray’s not an asshole.”

Ray snorted, and said, “Thanks, Pete.” Abraham twisted back around in his seat. The song changed. Art looked back out the window.

///

In a half hour, approximately forty miles into their journey, they passed a sign saying that there was a toll plaza in four miles.

“Alright,” Collie said, turning the music down a few notches. “Who brought cash for tolls?” Silence answered him. Art had completely forgotten that they’d even need to pay tolls. “Jesus, nobody?”

“There’s a rest stop coming up on the right,” Abraham told him, reading the road signs as they zoomed past. “There’ll be an ATM there. We can take some cash out there.”

A couple miles down the road and they pulled into the rest stop. The parking lot was mostly empty as they all piled out of the minivan. The rest stop was a small building with a dramatically slanting roof and the front was mostly covered over with windows. Out front was a Smokey the Bear statue with a sign next to him proclaiming the fire danger in the area for today. The risk was low.

“I say we each take out $20,” Abraham suggested. “That should be good to start out, right?”

“I think so,” Ray said, looking like he was deep in thought. “After this, we’ve got a toll to get on the New Hampshire turnpike, and a shitton of them in Massachusetts. Once we’re west of New York, I have no clue.”

“Geez, you’re like a walking road map,” Pete said admiringly. Ray ducked his head. “We can spend whatever leftover cash we have on food and stuff.”

The group turned and headed towards the rest stop. Art followed, but Collie caught his arm and held him back. Art looked down at the hand and then into his friend’s face. Collie dropped his hand quickly.

“Art, if you want I can take out money for both of us,” he offered, his face flushed like he was embarrassed. “You don’t have to take out the $20 if you don’t want to.” Art heard the implication there. He meant: “if you can’t.”

Now it was Art’s turn to feel embarrassed. It brought him back to being a kid, and not being allowed to go to birthday parties because he couldn’t afford to rent the bowling shoes or the roller skates. It brought him back to eleventh grade, when they all got their driver’s licenses and started to go out to eat on the weekends and pass late nights crammed into diner booths. Pete had always pulled him aside and offered to pay his way for him. Pete always looked at him with a kind and earnest look in his eyes, and shame always rolled around in Art’s stomach like a hot coal.

He felt it now, rolling around in his stomach and pressing down on the back of his neck, forcing him to look down at his shoes. Collie was bouncing from one foot to the other, looking back at the rest stop every so often. The others were probably already crowded around the ATM, wondering what the hell was wrong with them.

“It’s alright, Collie. I can pay my own way. I have some money saved up,” he answered, finally looking back up at Collie. “Besides, it’s not like any of us have a ton of money.” Sickly he thought: there’s a big difference between being middle class and being poor. He knew that, and he knew Collie knew that. For a second, he thought Collie was going to say it, but mercifully, he didn’t. He just patted Art on the back, and the two of them walked across the parking lot to the rest stop.

///

Once they had finished at the rest stop, Collie had a modest stack of twenty dollar bills in his hand. The twisted the key in the ignition and the van rumbled to life. They pulled easily out onto the highway.

It was still only 9:30 in the morning, and the only traffic was huge semi-trucks carrying goods and produce across state lines. They rose up around the minivan on all sides, dwarfing it. Art figured the traffic would be heavier once they got closer to Boston. The route that Pete had devised had them driving within thirty miles of the city before veering off west into New York. Abraham’s phone estimated they wouldn’t reach Niagara Falls until 5:00 in the evening.

Their Johnny Cash CD had just restarted, and Abraham was shuffling through the other ones Pete had bought as Collie pulled up to the tollbooth. The toll only cost $3.00, and he handed the woman working in the booth a twenty with what looked like an apologetic smile. She gave him his change, the bar lifted, and they drove on.

“She probably thought I was a dick, paying with a twenty,” he mumbled to himself, sticking the change in his cup holder as he continued down I-95 South. Over the radio, Johnny Cash sang: “Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still. Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still. Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still. Listen to the words long written down, when the man comes around.” It was the song that had played when they first left the Target back in South Portland, the song that had made Abraham nervous. It made Art nervous, too. The upbeat guitar playing underneath it only served to remind him of his father, playing hymns on the back porch in Louisiana. The songs were always happy, but they said such horrible things.

He wondered if Abraham still thought the song was a bad sign. He wanted to ask him, but couldn’t bring himself to do it, in the car, in broad daylight. It seemed like the sort of thing where, if you admitted to it in the daylight, all the monsters and all the bad luck in the world would find you and strike you down. Better to say it in the dark, where you could hide. Art gulped- he guessed he was more superstitious than he thought.

Abraham ejected the CD, causing the music to cut out sharply. He put in the next CD, the American III: Solitary Man album. The first song on the album was I Won’t Back Down. A cover of a Tom Petty song. He noticed Collie was singing softly to himself. It made Art smile. He knew it was just the sort of song Collie would latch onto.

Ray had turned in his seat, and he and Pete had their heads together, putting their playlist together. Collie’s words in the Target that morning hadn’t deterred them.

“How much do y’all have so far?” Art asked, turning in his seat too to face them better.

“We’ve got like a hundred songs,” Ray answered. “All sorts of stuff.”

“Wow,” was Art’s only response.

“I think once we add a bit more we’ll be done,” Pete added. “We’re gonna be on the road for some ninety hours. Gotta be prepared.”

Art turned back around. Not for the first time, he wondered what exactly he had set into motion. Ninety hours on the road.

They crossed over a bridge, and beneath them the Piscataqua River lazed along. Some sailboats were gliding over the surface. Art wondered what it would be like, to lay on the deck on a sailboat, warming in the sun. Maybe his friends would be there too, casting their fishing lines over the side of the boat. Art decided that would be nice.

A sign posted on their right announced that they were entering New Hampshire.

“Look at that! We’re in New Hampshire!” he gasped out.

“New state!” Abe cheered, banging on the car dashboard.

“Maybe New Hampshire will be more to your liking, Parker,” Pete teased from the backseat.

Art was excited- it had been a long time since he’d crossed the Maine state line. They finished crossing the bridge, and the Maine Turnpike became the Blue Star Turnpike. The trip felt real in a way it hadn’t before. Art hadn’t left Maine since he was a kid, and now he was going to travel across the country. He looked around him, eagerly left and right, and took it all in.

After another twenty miles of driving, they came to another tollbooth. “Christ, again?” Collie exclaimed. “Fuck Maine, and fuck Maine’s roads.” They all laughed at his customary outburst.

“I think you mean New Hampshire?” Abe supplied.

“Yeah, fuck New Hampshire, too,” Collie grumbled.

“So… so far Parker hates 4% of states. Should we start placing bets on what that number’ll be by the end of the trip?” Pete asked.

Collie ignored him and gave the man at the tollbooth a few crumpled dollar bills. Then they were through.

“You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” Ray asked him fondly.

“Not at all,” Pete replied, and leaned back in his seat.

Art looked out the window.

///

They were in New Hampshire for only half an hour, and then they were crossing into Massachusetts. Another state to add to Art’s list. As they passed over the state line, Pete asked, in that fake earnest voice of his, “What do ya think of this one, Collie? Gonna add it to the list? Make it 6%?”

“You’re gonna get your stupid ass thrown out,” Art choked out between laughs.

“Art’s right, Pete. You’re getting yourself on my shit list,” Collie said.

“Who isn’t on your shit list?” Abraham asked.

“You know, Abe, you’re supposed to be on my side.”

“Hell, it’s fun to watch you get all red in the face.” Abraham grinned. Collie rolled his eyes but grinned too and kept on driving. They merged onto I-495 South, and then all the road signs began to point towards Boston.

“I was thinking we could stop and eat lunch around noon, and then switch drivers,” Pete said. His antagonistic streak seemed to be over, and he was back to examining the itinerary he’d put together for the trip.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Ray agreed.

“I like the sound of that,” Collie said.

“How you doin’ up there, Collie?” Art asked.

“Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me,” he assured, rolling back his shoulders and stretching. “But I’ll be ready to switch two hours from now.”

///

They were mostly quiet after that, just singing along to the CD playing over the radio, until they were nearing Lawrence, Massachusetts. There was an exit leading onto I-93 South, which would take them into Boston.

“Collie, can we go to Boston?” Abraham asked, looking longingly out the window, as if he could see the city’s skyline from the highway, thirty miles away. “I’ve never been to Boston.”

“Who the fuck lives in Maine and hasn’t been to Boston?” Collie asked in disbelief. “I’m not even from here and I’ve fucking been to Boston.”

“Well, fuck you. I don’t have a car, dipshit,” Abe shot back.

“That’s a shitty excuse. Just take a Greyhound from Portland into Boston,” Collie replied. “You guys have been to Boston, right? Even you, Art?”

Ray and Pete nodded, but Art shook his head. “No, I’ve never been. Until this, I hadn’t even left Maine in like eight years.”

They all looked faintly surprised at this. “Jesus, what?” Collie asked incredulously. “I’ve failed the two of you as a friend,” he said to Art and Abraham. “Once we get back, I’m taking the two of you to Boston.”

Art liked the sound of that- exploring a new city with Abraham and Collie Parker. His world seemed so much bigger than it had this morning, so much bigger than his present in Maine and his past in Louisiana.

///

By the time noon rolled around, they were nearing Blandford, Massachusetts. Boston was over a hundred miles behind them. “Pull off here,” Abraham instructed, and Collie did, and they rolled into Blandford. The welcome sign said the population was 1,233.

“There’s a park around here that’s really pretty. We should eat there,” Ray said, looking intently at his phone screen. Collie asked for directions, and Ray gave them. After a few minutes of driving they pulled into the parking lot of Becket Quarry and Collie paid the parking attendant $10. They’d already spent nearly $20, and it had only been a few hours. That stack of twenties wasn’t stretching as far as Art thought it would.

They all got out of the van and crowded around the trunk, pulling sandwiches and water bottles out of the cooler Abraham had brought. Collie grabbed one of the packs of beef jerky out of a Target bag, and then they were locking up the van and heading down the trail.

It wasn’t a far walk to the quarry, and along the path and trees surrounded them, green and leafy and tall. They reached the end of the path, and came upon the quarry. It was beautiful- the surface of the water reflected the endless blue sky overhead, and large rock faces emerged from the water and towered over it, covered over with moss and bright green foliage. There were a few different groups sitting around the quarry, but it was mostly empty- plenty of room for them to spread out and eat their lunch.

Abraham climbed one of the smaller rock formations overlooking the water and set his water and sandwich down. “We should go swimming.”

The rest of the group looked eager, excited at the prospect, but Art hesitated. “How deep is it?” he asked.

“Well, it’s a quarry, so I think the most shallow spot will still be at least forty feet,” Ray answered.

“Forty feet,” Art repeated softly to himself. That was awfully deep. It would be easy to disappear in that water and never come up again. That old panic gripped him.

The rest of them were stripping down to their boxers to swim. Abraham dove in first, and then Pete jumped in, dragging Ray with him by his hands. Collie went next, doing a cannonball and splashing the three of them in the water.

Art wished he could follow, but he imagined jumping in and sinking down down down, away from the light. Instead he took off his shoes and socks and sat at the edge of the water, his legs under it up to his mid-calves. The water was cold, perfectly refreshing for a summer day.

A few feet away, Abraham was floating on his back, and Pete and Ray splashed at him, giggling to each other like conspirators. Collie was swimming laps around them, his tanned arms glinting in the sunlight. Show off, Art thought, and suppressed a secret smile.

It made Art happy to watch him, and it felt good to bask in the sun, to feel it on his arms and his legs. It was still early June, but the temperature must have climbed past eighty degrees. It had been humid in the forest, but by the water the air felt crisp and clean.

The sun flashed brilliantly off the surface of the water, casting his friends in a harsh glare. They looked like an old overexposed photograph, or a child’s crayon-colored dream come to life. This, he thought, is what summer is.

Collie noticed him sitting on the bank alone and swam over. “You coming in?” he asked. Art shook his head. “Can you not swim?”

“I can swim,” Art answered. “It’s just… it’s too deep.” He could only see a foot or two below the water’s surface. Below that, darkness straight down. He could see Collie’s arms as he tread water, but the rest of him was obscured by the quarry water. Pete, Ray, and Abraham were just floating heads, bobbing and laughing a dozen yards from shore.

“Oh.” Collie pushed his wet hair out of his face. “I get that.” He braced his hands on the rock and lifted himself up out of the water, sitting next to Art. Art’s shirt sleeve was wet from where Collie’s arm touched his.

“You don’t have to stop swimming on account of me,” he said softly.

“Oh, it’s not on account of you,” Collie answered. “We have to dry off and eat anyways. I don’t know about the rest of them, but I don’t want to drive around for another four hours in wet shorts.”

They sat in companionable silence for a minute, Collie kicking his legs and churning up water. The droplets seemed to catch fire in the afternoon sunlight. “What bothers you about the water?” Collie asked, looking over at him. The heat of Collie’s arm was still heavy against his arm, but neither of them moved away. Art’s face burned with the proximity.

“I can’t see the bottom. I can swim fine,” Art explained. “But I don’t like it when I can’t see the bottom.” He almost wanted to add that no one knew what was down there, lurking below the reach of the sun. But that was the stuff of nightmares, and he didn’t want to seem stupid.

“We’ll have to find you a swimming pool, then,” Collie replied.

Art fixed him with a look. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I’m not making fun of you. I’m trying to be nice. I don’t make fun of you, you know. At least not, like, seriously.” He had a faintly hurt look in his eyes, like this was something he really wanted to get across.

Art answered that look with a smile. “A swimming pool sounds nice, then.”

“Good,” Collie said simply. He got up and walked over to where his clothes were discarded, and started getting dressed. Art averted his eyes. He called out to the three in the water, “Come on and get out now! We gotta hit the road soon to keep on schedule!”

“Don’t be so lame!” Pete shouted back, in the middle of dunking Ray under the water. Ray pushed him away, laughing.

“Dumbass, it’s your schedule,” Collie answered, sitting back down and ripping open the pack of beef jerky. “Get over here and eat your sandwiches.” The three reluctantly swam over and pulled themselves out of water, instead eating their lunch and drying under the sun. Art left his perch on the edge of the rock and went to sit with them.

They ate their sandwiches and drank from their water bottles, warming themselves in the sun and keeping an eye on the time. When it hit 1:00 PM, Collie got up and said, “Time to go, guys. Pete, you’re driving.” He tossed the keys, and Pete caught them cleanly.

“Aye aye, captain.” Pete gave a mock salute and started getting dressed. “Ray can sit up front with me. We’ll debut our playlist.”

“Can’t wait,” Collie grumbled.

As they left, Art looked back at the quarry one more time, at the murky depths and the glare it cast on the rock formations surrounding it. Then, he turned around and followed his friends through the trees.

#the long walk #art baker #collie parker #bakerparker #my fic #big sky country au

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